Mix Up
by TheJLB
Summary: When someone comes to visit Tony, his world is turned upside down and a strong relization comes to light. Tate friendship, and a little Tiva. This is how I pictured Tony realizes he's attracted to Ziva. I DO NOT own anything.
1. Welcome Home

"Good MORNING everyone! Tony DiNozzo is here!"

"Oh, yes Tony. We are all too aware of that." Ziva said from her accustomed place behind her desk. Tony sneered in her direction, and she smiled triumphantly.

"Well, I understand. Someone feels belittled now that the SUPER special agent is here!"

"Sure. Whatever drifts your boat."

"Uhm, Ziva. The expression is float."

"Tell me what the difference is between 'float' and 'drift'" To that, Tony had no answer.

"You're late, DiNozzo." Gibbs said, as he walked casually through the bullpen and sat down at his corner desk.

"And so is Kate. Where is she?" McGee said coolly, typing away at his keyboard.

Tony froze, extremely confused.

"What did you say?"

"Kate. She's late. Kate's usually never late." Ziva responded indifferently, flipping through papers. Tony laughed acrimoniously, figuring this was another antic from his team.

"Okay, what's the big joke here? Are you guys trying to mess with me? Well QUIT it! It's not working. Kate has been DEAD for years."

"Really, Tony. I wasn't aware of that. How did it happen? Was it a fiery explosion? I always hoped I would die like that."

Tony knew that voice; he would know it from a mile away. Unmistakable, distinct. The voice he had been longing to hear since Ari pulled the trigger.

"Kate." Tony whispered, in complete and utter shock. He turned around to face his thought to be deceased co-worker, and his heart stopped.

"Tony." Kate whispered mockingly, in the same manner as Tony. "Is there a problem?"

"Kate." Tony said again, wondering how on earth this was possible. Kate's dead; he's been sure of that. He would swear his collection of playboy magazines on that.

"Good. You know my name. Now that we have covered the basics, what's the problem?"

"You're dead."

Kate, along with the rest of the team, stared at Tony quizzically.

"Well, Tony, apparently she's not. To think you went through criminal investigative training for that." Ziva jokingly felt his forehead. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"YES Ziva, I'm fine." He said, viciously swatting her hand away. Ziva frowned. "But you shouldn't be! You're dead! You've been DEAD for years! Ari killed you, with a single gunshot to the forehead! What the HELL are you doing here?" Tony said, practically shaking by now. He poked Kate's stomach, testing to see if she was real.

"Um," Kate responded worriedly, "Should we call Ducky?"

"No, no, no! You are DEAD! DEAD!! I DON'T GET IT! Why the HELL are you standing here? YOU. ARE. DEAD."

"I'm not dead. Hello, Tony. I'm Agent Kate Todd. And I'm living. And so is Ziva! And McGee! And Gibbs! And YOU! We ALL are!"

"Yes, Kate, I know who you are and I know everyone here is living. Except for you. I got it! I'm talking to you inside my head, and you're not really here. This happen the day that you died. You would just appear, when I needed it. Why are you here now? Are you going to give be some O-bi-won kinda thing?"

"Gibbs? Tony's hallucinating!" Kate called.

"And when I close my eyes, you'll disappear, and I'll wake up." Tony shut his eyes shut, and popped them up. Kate was still there. He did it repeatedly many times. Even as much as Ziva was enjoying watching Tony make a fool of himself, she stopped him.

"Tony...Kate's still here, and you are still make no sense." Ziva said, looking at him, and slightly leaning away, as if his insanity was contagious.

"Ugh, I need some Advil. PROBIE!"

"WHAT?"

McGee looked up, annoyed. He wasn't paying attention to Tony, he knew he was bluffing this whole thing. Probably to get Ziva's attention. You don't need to be Eienstein to figure those two out.

"Advil, McWhiney. Pronto." McGee took out the bottle of pills from his drawer and chucked it in Tony's direction, which flew right past his head and on it's way to hitting Ziva's. She caught it with the flick of her wrist and tossed it to Tony.

"Oh. Remind me not to mess with you, Agent David!" Kate said, getting a chuckle out of Ziva. Gibbs' desk phone rang, and Gibbs' picked it up within second.

"Gibbs. Yeah. On our way." He hung up the phone and the rest of the team stood in position, ready to roll.

"Dead lieutenant found on the parkway. Let's go!"

Tony started to follow his team out of the squad room, but was stopped by Gibbs.

"Not you. Go to Ducky."

Tony reluctantly put his bag down, extremely confused. He watched his team, specifically Kate, walk out of the bullpen

"She's dead, and still causing problems for me" Kate heard Tony's comment, and from the elevator called back.

"I'm not dead, DiNozzo!"

"Jesus Christ!"


	2. I'm Turning Into Abby

"Ow...OWW!"

"My apologizes, Tony. I usually don't examine living bodies"

"Yeah, that's pretty obvious, Ducky." Tony said, as Ducky inspected him, checking for any bruises on his skull. Tony swatted him away.

"You know what? I did NOT come to work today to be poked and prodded by an M.E., see my DEAD colleague waltz in like she's LIVING, and then spend the day while that dead colleague goes around investigating CRIMES, and the perfectly healthy LIVING one spends the day chillin' with dead bodies in strange square freezers, where, ironically, the dead one should actually be." Tony took a deep breath and continued, "Oh, my god, I'm turning into Abby."

"Hey! Is that such a horrible thing?" Abby strolled into Autopsy, crossing her arms and frowning at Tony's comment.

"ABBY! My girl! What goes on, the amazing, unreplaceable, beautiful, forensic scientist, ABBY SCIUTO!"

"Oh, shut it, DiNozzo. I know you love me!"

"Did you know Kate's not dead after all?" Abby looked quizzically at Tony, and then at Ducky.

"Ducky? What's with Tony?"

"Disregard Tony, he's a little loopy at the moment."

"Okay, then. Tony, wanna come lay down in my lab? I've discovered the floor is VERY comfortable, and Major mass spec is very good company. Oh, and Bert! He's the best!"

"I am NOT loopy, Ducky! I remember standing on the rooftop, with Gibbs and Kate. Kate took a bullet for Gibbs, but she was wearing her vest. I helped her up and then five seconds later, there was a bullet in her head. I know what happened. I remember her lying there, dead. Cold as ice. there is no possible way I am the only person who remember this event that supposedly NEVER took place! I am NOT loopy, Ducky! Not loopy! I am perfectly fine! I am perfectly fine, right?"

"Well, nothing that would suggest you're not, no physical signs, at least. I would have to do a psych examination to confirm anything."

"Okay, Ducky, there will be no examining of the psych here. I had a late night last night, I'm probably just tired."

"Alright, Tony. I want you to go home! Get some rest! I will expect to see you bright and early tomorrow!" Tony jumped off the steel slab and gave Ducky a pat on the back.

"Will do, doctor!"

"Bye Tony!" Abby waved excitedly as Tony walked out of the door.


	3. Just Think About It

"I am fine. I'm perfectly fine. I bet everyone is realizing she's dead. Because there is no way Tony DiNozzo is crazy. It's not possible."

"You still talk to yourself, Tony?" Tony whipped around to face Kate, who was standing in the middle of the elevator with him.

"What-how-Kate!?"

"Hi, Tony. I thought you stopped doing that once I died. But I guess some things just never go away."

"How did you get it here? This is a closed elevator!"

"You were right. I am dead, and I've been dead. I had to come talk to you."

"Then why did Gibbs and McGee and Ziva-"

"You don't need to know how I did it, you just need to know that I did do it."

"Well why are you here?"

Kate reached across the elevator, and flipped the switch that stopped the elevator and turned off the lights.

"About Ziva."

"What about Ziva?"

" I know."

Tony gave his full attention to Kate, pivoting towards her and crossing his arms. He starred into Kate's deep brown eyes.

"You know what?"

"How you feel about her."

"I feel something about Ziva? You care to tell me what that is?"

"I've been watching you guys. All of you. You and Ziva specifically. Do you even notice?"

"Notice what? I am so incredibly confused right now."

"The way she looks at you. The way YOU look at her."

"What are you saying?"

"I've been watching you, and it's been driving me crazy how you two are so oblivious to each other. So I had to come down here and tell you yourself."

"So what are you suggesting?"

"I'm not suggesting anything. I'm just saying that I know what's going on between you two, and I want you to consider it."

"Are you saying I'm...I'm attracted to Ziva? What? That's insane. Ziva and I are friends. Co-workers. Acquaintances. There is no, I REPEAT, no attraction here."

"Really? Because every time she says your name, you perk up. Every time you hit on a girl, she get particularly defensive. But, both of you are to scared of the truth, to admit it to yourself. I hope you will just think about it. Please."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I want you to be happy. Please, Tony. For me."

"Just because you said you want me to."

"Thank you, Tony."

"Anything for you, Kate."

Kate looked at Tony, and wrapped him in a big hug. Tony embraced her tightly, smiling at the warmth of her arms.

"I've missed you SO much, Kate"

Kate squeezed Tony even tighter, breathing in his sweet scent.

"I know. I've missed you to, Tony. More then you could ever imagine. I've missed all of you."

"How's it like up there?"

Tony and Kate separated, and Kate explained her new life.

"It's amazing, Tony. Absolutely amazing. I've seen Jenny around, it's good to see her. And I've met Shannon and Kelly, they're great. Gibbs was so lucky. They want to tell him they love him and miss him. Can you tell him that?"

"Absolutely. Anything else?"

"Yeah. Jenny wants you to know, that she loves you all. Immensely. And that's she's so proud. Tell everyone I said hi, and to take care. I have to go now, Tony."

"Kate, no-don't. Can't you stay?"

"I have to leave, Tony. I can't stay any longer."

"Kate, please." Tony could feel the warm tears welling up in his eyes, trying to make sure none could break free.

"No, Tony. I have to go. I want to stay, but I have to get back. I love you, Tony. I always have."

"I love you too, Kate."

Kate leaned in, to give tony one last embrace. She gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek before letting him go for the last time.

"Wake, up. DiNozzo."

"What?"

"Wake up!"

Tony's eyes flew open, and he found himself sitting at his desk, with Gibbs standing over him.

"Sorry, boss." Tony got up drowsily, and rubbed his eyes. He looked over at Ziva, remembering his dream. He wondered if Kate might have been right.

"Yeah. Yeah I did."

"Have a nice nap, DiNozzo?


End file.
